LM24 Hour 9: Toyota holds onto the lead; No.50 Ferrari running again after issue

We’re green again at Le Mans after the race’s first safety-car period, which began in the eighth hour and came to a close with just over 15 and a half hours to go.

Toyota leads with the No. 8 once again from the restart. Sebastien Buemi, still on medium tires, has managed to hold a gap of 10-15 seconds over the chasing Cadillacs behind, which are on the soft tires for the first time in the race.

Will Stevens in the No. 12 is second, with the No. 38 of Earl Bamber third, 18 seconds back from the lead.

Outside the top three, the No. 20 BMW, the only M Hybrid V8 in contention after the No. 15’s earlier woes, is still lurking, 26 seconds off the lead with Rene Rast aboard on his second stint with a set of mediums.

The biggest story of the hour, though, wasn’t the restart; it was an issue for the No. 50 Ferrari AF Corse 499P. Nicklas Nielsen was forced to box the 2024-winning car and sit in the garage while the crew frantically worked to solve a fire extinguisher issue. The WEC TV broadcast also reported that they needed to replace the ECU. Ultimately, it cost the team 29 minutes and nine laps.

With the No. 50 the best of the Ferraris throughout in Hypercar, was this the moment that ultimately ended the brand’s win streak at La Sarthe? The No. 51 factory car is next in line, eighth and almost two minutes back.

The No. 50 wasn’t the only car in the class to hit trouble. Genesis’ No. 17 GMR-001 suffered its first hitch when Mathys Jaubert was forced to pit with a puncture. It is now 13th but still just about on the lead lap.

LMP2 sees Duqueine continue to lead. The French team had to box immediately at the restart, but by the time the rest of the field pitted, it cycled back to the top by the end of the hour with Richard Vershoor in for his first night stint after Julien Andlauer's run.

Pietro Fittipaldi continues to chase for Vector Sport, the class' surprise package so far. The No. 9 Proton ORECA is third. Down in 11th in LMP2 is the Pro/Am leader, the AO By TF machine, which leads a train of runners in the sub-class after the safety car divided up the LMP2 field in two and separated the categories.

LMGT3 now sees five brands in the top five. Aston Martin leads with Mattia Drudi pushing hard in the No. 27 Heart of Racing Vantage. The No. 33 TF Sport Corvette has risen to a race-high position of second, with Jonny Edgar now strapped in and just two seconds off the leader.

Kessel’s 74 Ferrari is third, with the No. 87 Lexus fourth ahead of the No. 91 Manthey DK Engineering Porsche, delayed after its puncture, in fifth.